


A Steady Hand and A Kind Heart

by ericsonclan



Series: OG World [48]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Flowers, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Healing, Memories, Mentors, Past Character Death, Stitches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:02:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26048467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan
Summary: Ruby visits Ms. Martin's grave and tells her what's been going on.
Relationships: Ms. Martin & Ruby (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Series: OG World [48]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1815361
Kudos: 4





	A Steady Hand and A Kind Heart

**Author's Note:**

> (by Linnea)

“I-I don’t know Ms. Martin,” Ruby felt her hands shake while she tried to thread the needle. Her fingers kept trembling so much that whenever it looked like it was getting close to going through the needle head it would veer slightly to the left or right. “Darn it!” Ruby threw aside the needle onto the table with a huff.

“It’s going to be alright, Ruby,” Ms. Martin looked at her with a warm, comforting smile. “I know that we’ve only had you work on veggies and such when it’s come to stitches, but now,” Ms. Martin lifted up her right leg, placing it gingerly up on a chair. A slow, steady stream of blood oozed out of the cut that was just below her knee. “This is the best opportunity that you’re going to get as a good starting point for a person.” Ms. Martin looked up to see the still conflicted face of the eleven year old. She couldn’t blame Ruby for how she was feeling. If only they didn’t live in a world that needed Ruby to learn as fast as she could, then she would give her all the time she needed. But sadly now that the world had ended so did any luxuries that kids her age got. 

“But…” Ruby stared at the bleeding leg, “What if I mess up? I don’t know if I can do it,” Ruby looked away, staring at the needle that she had thrown aside. All her fears and nerves were starting to get the better of her, consuming her mind and paralyzing her. It was only when she felt a warm sensation evelop her hand that she looked over and saw Ms. Martin’s hand on her own. 

“I know it’s scary, learning all of this, practicing your skills when you’ve just started learning them.” Ms. Martin’s tone was gentle and comforting but it seemed to fail to make Ruby feel any better. 

“I wanna help, but… I’m never gonna be as good as you, Ms. Martin.”

“That’s not true. You’re a fast learner and besides it’s something you need to know how to do in case anything were to happen to me.” 

Ms. Martin’s words cause Ruby’s eyes to widen in fear at the thought. “But that’s never going to happen. We won’t let it! We’re all gonna get through this together!” 

Ms. Martin smiled at the fiery determination she saw in Ruby’s eyes and the kindness in her voice. “Ruby, you have a gift and it’s one that you can use to help the others here at the school. Just like how Mitch always wants to protect the younger kids and how Louis tries to lift everyone’s spirits.” Ms. Martin’s hand took hold of Ruby’s right shoulder as she locked eyes with her. “You have a way to protect the others. Not everything has to do with those monsters out there. It doesn’t always have to be the only way to protect someone.” Ms. Martin’s hands wandered down, grasping Ruby’s. “Healing someone, making sure they get through a tough injury... With a steady hand and a kind heart, you can help protect the others at this school.” 

Ruby’s eyes grew large at that statement, her mouth slightly open in awe at her mentor’s words. Her eyes still held a level of fear to them but were soon consumed by her newfound resolve.  
“Alright, I’m gonna try my best,” Ruby turned, snatching up the needle and thread once more. Her hands were much steadier now as she moved the thread closer to the needle head. Once it was through, she turned back to the leg. Ms. Martin guided her through each step, quizzing her and making sure she did each part right. When it was finally time to start stitching up the injury, Ruby felt her fear bubble up inside her but she quickly pushed it down. _This is how I’m gonna protect the others._ The needle hovered over the gash before puncturing the skin and starting the first of many stitches.

\----

“I’m really sorry, Ruby,” Willy looked down with sad eyes before wincing when the needle pulled through the first stitch. His hand on his shirt gripped the fabric tighter to try and deal with the pain. “I was just trying to help Clem with the walkers that were surrounding her and when I took some steps back to get a better shot, I didn’t notice the tree branch,” 

Ruby looked up at the fifteen year old boy with a warm smile. “Aww Sug, I know that. And I’m sure Clem appreciates your help,” Ruby turned her focus back to the task at hand, pulling another stitch through. When Clemenetine had returned back to Ericson with Willy’s arm draped around her shoulder, it had caused the whole group to freak out. But luckily it seemed like it wasn’t too bad of an injury, especially compared to some of the others Ruby had had to deal with over her many years in this new world. 

After she had taken out the debris and splinters from his wound, cleaned and disinfected it, all that was left to do was stitching. That felt like second nature at this point to the redhead. The two sat in silence for a few minutes while Ruby continued to work on the stitches. 

After a while Ruby stood up, stretching her back, and looked down at Willy with a content smile. “Well, that should about do it,” 

Willy’s face instantly brightened at that news. He jumped up to his feet only to wince in pain once again. 

“Now don’t go pushing yourself anymore than you got to. It may not be the worst injury, but it’s still delicate. Don’t go running around and tearing out your stitches,” Ruby glared up with her hands on her hips at Willy who was now much taller than her. Willy’s expression turned serious.

“Of course, Ruby. Thanks again!” Willy waved one final time before sprinting out the door and in the direction of the picnic tables where he was sure to find AJ and Garbage. 

Ruby shook her head with a small smile. _That boy will never learn, will he?_ Ruby’s eyes wandered over to the open door. _There should still be some time before dinner. Maybe I’ll have time for a visit._ Ruby thought on the topic for a minute before making her way outside. 

Aasim looked up from his dinner prep with Omar and Prisha, a loving smile on his face as he waved at her. Ruby felt her own smile grow as she returned the gesture. Moving past the picnic tables and past the graveyards, Ruby continued to stroll through Ericson until she reached her destination: the greenhouse. She looked around for a moment to see if anyone else was nearby then proceeded through the door. 

Ruby smiled down at the different planters she moved by only for her smile to fade when she entered the second room and her eyes fell upon the planter with the white fenced wall. Long, strong vines weaved up and around the wall as bright yellow flowers grew there. Young and full of life. The image of Ms. Martin appeared in Ruby’s mind, an empty husk of her mentor who reached out towards Ruby and the others. The only care she had for them was the desire to bite into them. The flowers and weeds that had grown in and around her rotting walker form swayed with her sudden movement. 

Ruby felt overwhelmed by the image but closed her eyes and shook her head in hopes to cast it away. It took a few minutes and some slow, deep breaths but eventually the image was gone and she was left viewing the flourishing planter. Delicately she picked off some on the yellow flowers, making sure to get enough of the stem without destroying the vines. Ruby looked down with a content expression at the bouquet of yellow flowers she had gotten when her eyes traveled over to the small patch of light purple flowers that bloomed in one of the corners. _Maybe I should grab some of those too._ She stared at it for a minute before turning sharply on her heel. _No, I’ll save those for the next time I visit Brody._ Ruby wandered out of the greenhouse and closed the door behind her. But instead of turning to the left to make her way through the gate and back towards the center of the school, she spun to the right and walked to a mound of dirt that protruded from the ground. Ruby sat down in front of it and placed down the bouquet of flowers. 

“Hi there, Ms. Martin. Been some time since I’ve visited you here,” Ruby gave a weak smile. “Hard to find alone time out here or any time that I ain't busy.” Ruby’s hand hovered over the pile of flowers before grabbing two flowers by the stem. Gently she began to spin the stems together, intertwining them until they were locked together. “So I thought I’d visit today seeing as I finally got the chance.” Her hands grabbed a few more flowers to add to the two stems already connected. 

“Willy ended up getting hurt today, but it wasn’t anything too bad. Just needed a few stitches. But golly does that boy get himself into scraps often. He reminds me a lot of Mitch sometimes,” Ruby’s face fell at her own words. She remained silent for a minute, continuing to spin the stems together until the first flower wreath was done. Ruby looked at it with pride before moving on to begin the next one. “I always am able to help though, get Willy and the others through a tough injury or silly scrape even if…” Ruby felt her throat tighten. Swallowing her tears back, she began again, her voice slightly rough. “Even if I wasn’t able to help everyone. I’m still protecting the others in my own way. Just like you taught me.” Ruby felt a few tears roll down her cheeks. Pausing from making the second flower wreath, she brushed away at her tears and gave a loud sniffle. “I hope I’m making you proud.” 

Ruby felt a sad smile pull on her lips while she finished up the second wreath. “I’m sure you’d say I was doing a great job and you’d give that shocked, happy smile like you always did whenever you saw how much I’d learned,” Ruby took a shaky breath. She held the flower wreath in her hands, twirling it for a minute before rising up to her feet. “Well, I bet dinner is almost ready and I gotta drop off one of these at the graveyard for you.” Ruby looked down at the pile of dirt where her mentor lay for a few seconds, her emotions pouring out of her heart and clouding her eyesight.

Leaning over, she placed one of the wreaths down. “I promise I’ll keep looking out for the others. Just keep watching over me, alright?” Ruby gave a gentle smile before picking up the other flower wreath and walking to the gate. 

She looked back one final time at the grave site, the words of her mentor rising back to the surface of her mind. _‘With a steady hand and a kind heart you can help protect the others at this school.’_  
Ruby turned back, opening up the gate and walking towards the picnic tables. Her eyes shone with the same fiery determination born anew within her.  
_I’ll be sure to keep them safe._


End file.
